Attacking Capitalism

Principles have passed…progressive thought has penetrated everywhere. The attacks on capitalism launched by Republican candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum against Mitt Romney leaves one scratching their heads trying to figure out which candidate is worth our support.

We need a candidate that supports American rugged individualism and the entrepreneurial spirit. A true advocate realizes the path forward is not straight, clean and easy. Sometimes capitalism is messy and ugly. Capitalism not only rewards the successful, it also punishes those who make mistakes. Mistakes in a capitalistic society vary from aging technology, to bad decisions, shifting markets and slow adjustments. Mistakes include wrong talent or too much talent; poor processes and poor planning. Capitalism will punish employer, employee and investors alike. Turing around a company is challenging once one or multiple mistakes have been made. Some can be saved…some cannot. Without the ability to succeed and fail…you do not have capitalism. And while not perfect, it is the best economic system the world has ever known. We just need a President who believes in the American Way.

Is Romney the ideal candidate? His attack on Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 solution in favor of the repressive productivity tax America adopted nearly a century ago…is reprehensible. Mr. Cain’s policy of 9-9-9 is a half step, full of risk towards replacing the mistake of 1913 when the income tax was enacted. The risk is giving our political system yet another revenue source. The last revenue source granted to our political system resulted in government growing from 2% to over 40% of GDP and 15 TRILLON of debt. Embracing consumption over productivity taxation eliminates the twenty plus percent burden on American industry, giving American industry and the American worker a fair market to compete in. Romney’s desire to simply tweak the current repressive income tax demonstrates a lack of vision. Unfortunately, this is the same lack of vision demonstrated by Speaker Gingrich and Senator Santorum.

America deserves visionary leadership. America needs bold solutions. The time for half measures and half solutions is past. Will America have such a candidate to choose from in November? Will a conservative candidate embrace the essence of America with visionary leadership? We can only pray.